Music as Religious Experience

A recent column appearing at MLive.com suggests that music is the religion of many. Does that describe you?

For many boomers — and their offspring — rock music is the background soundtrack to a lifelong spiritual search. Its transcendent moments open divine doorways to our shared joy in being alive, or at least make you briefly forget about that hip replacement.

The gist of the article is that people look to music to provide a ‘transcendent’ experience, one that helps men and women to forget their troubles and get out of the mundane experience of their lives. It gives a lift, it rejuvenates, gives perspective and relieves anxieties.

I suspect that this is true for some. Music speaks to us on a level beyond that of verbal communication. The printed or spoken word can have impact, but music stirs us on a much more basic or primal level.

But I would suggest that music as religion is not a good thing.

First, though perhaps at times uplifting, music is only temporary. The very multiplication of songs and musical pieces speaks to the temporary value of any one piece of music. Perhaps someone can escape the harsh reality of their world through a concert or an album or some particular performance of music, but ultimately the soul craves something permanent, something that lasts, in order to solve the harshness of this world. Music, at best, can only provide temporary relief.

Second, music as religion is an illusion. The way this ‘religious effect’ is described, music seems to be used much like a drug or alcohol. It seems to provide relief, but its artificial nature demands a ‘bigger rush’ or a ‘new stimulus’ for the next time. The solution it offers is ‘good feelings’, but when the feelings subside, harsh reality remains. Your life problems won’t go away, no matter how much music (or anything else) is used to assuage the harshness of your reality.

Third, music can only deal with the ‘edge’ of life’s problems, it can’t really provide a permanent solution. The pain might be dulled, the emotions might be quieted (or brought to a more satisfying focus), but the problems are never solved.

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True religion, found in the faithful worship of the living God, will find the true solution to life’s problems. There is immediate action on the defects of your inner man (your soul), and there is ultimate solution to all of life’s problems by faith in God’s ultimate victory over all the problems of this world.

The whole subject of true religion is too lengthy to deal with completely here, but I do invite your comments on these observations as well as any questions you might have. I hope that you can find lasting peace for your soul in the source of real peace, the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

~~ Pastor Don